High and soft?

alcapwny · Regular Member Joined: 02 Apr 2012 Posts: 31

I never used to be a big fan of soft, high playing until I started doing it recently. When I used to play soft up high I'd get tense and my technique would fail, but now I'm able to keep good technique while I do it. I play chromatic scales as soft as possible up and down starting on a G going up to as high as I can as my main range exercise. It works wonders. Jumping through triads and stuff never works for me. Anybody else do this?

And on a side note, what are some good exercises to improve articulation in the high register? I'm solid on an F, but once I go up to a G or and A it gets a bit more difficult.

jiarby · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Jul 2011 Posts: 743

Maybe you have been doing it all along by relying on pressure and overblowing to keep the buzz going (translation = louder)...

Practicing softly removes that crutch.

Do all your clarke exercises across your whole range, not just as written.
Try out the Colin Advanced Lip Flexibilities...

Mark Curry · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1046

solo soprano · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:51 pm Post subject:

More than 50 years ago a man by the name of Jaroslav Cimera, who was at the time considered to be " The Dean of All Brass Teachers " in the Chicago area, was teaching a method for upper register development that produced great results. It is a remedial method that will overcome the biggest obstacle trumpeters face in developing the upper register. What obstacle ? Using too large an aperture for playing in the upper register. This method is designed to develop the smaller aperture needed for upper register playing, while at the same time giving you " aperture control " that will allow you to play any note on the horn at will. The method uses very soft playing and decrescendo as you ascend, until the top note is played in just a " whisper ". Remember : This is a remedial routine. It does not replace your normal manner of practicing the upper register.
If practiced properly, here is what the method can do for you:
1. Increase your range dramatically and immediately.
2. Build the strongest embouchure you can imagine, thus increasing endurance.
3. Reduce the amount of " pressure " you are now using, which will save the lip.
4. Give you the " feel " for any note on the horn...you will be able to " pick off " any note at even the softest dynamic level.
5. Develop the proper size " aperture " for high note playing, while allowing you to move throughout the entire range of the instrument without using an " embouchure shift ".
William B. Knevitt

Where to checkout this method, at http://latorremusic.com, scroll down to " The Knevitt-Cimera Method For Developing The Upper Register on Trumpet " Bill made an accompanying tape (mp3 download) to this book, in which he demonstrates how to play each of the lessons throughout the book. You get Bill's insights and you can also play along with him.

I have used this myself with great results.

robertgrier · Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:20 pm Post subject:

Mark Curry · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1046

solo soprano · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 3:43 am Post subject:

" Don't strain (well not too much). Stop when the notes stop coming out and REST! Nothing is accomplished on flat, beat-up chops." Mark Curry

Relaxing the Lip:
" High notes have a very stiffening effect on the lips. You must therefore balance your routine with plenty of low notes, especially right after you have practiced in the upper register, to relieve the tension."
Bill Knevitt
1993

WORDS OF WISDOM
" Build up, do not destroy "
Dr. Herbert L. Clarke
1936

If you wait until the notes stops come out...it's to late. you have done more harm than good. You must stop once you feel any strain. Rest at least as much as you play and more.

Acknowledgment:
Mr. William B. Knevitt, who taught me the seven basic physical elements of trumpet playing and how to develop them.

tommy t. · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:11 am Post subject: Re: High and soft?

Mark Curry · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1046

silverhorn · Heavyweight Member Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 593

tommy t. · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:45 am Post subject: Re: High and soft?

solo soprano · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:26 am Post subject:

JUST A SIDE NOTE
On Breath Attacks

I've heard that the Great Rafael Mendez would breathe into the horn, not forcing, but coaxing the lips to vibrate as his warm-up.

" Air is what breath in. Wind is what we blow out. Wind is air that is moving.
WIND POWER IS THE FORCE WITH WHICH THE AIR MOVES "
Bill Knevitt

John Mohan · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:50 am Post subject:

Serious students of Claude Gordon were taken by Claude through the Clarke Technical Studies book at least twice (in my case three times).

The first time through the book I was told to play in a full tone, blow stronger for the top notes and blow easier for the lower notes. And he had me doing the exercises with just one repeat each (so 2X each). After I got all the way through the book practicing many different articulation models (and staying on each model for two weeks), the second time through the book, Claude had me play the exercises at an "easy" volume. He said don't hold back, just play them "easy". At this point he had me doing each exercise slurred as written, 4X each.

The third time through the book is when Claude had me do each exercise slurred as written, "in a whisper" and repeat each exercise 8X - 16X each. Claude told us this was how Herbert Clarke himself took students through his Technical Studies book - he didn't have the student attempt to play the exercises "in a whisper" until the student was ready to.

Each of these three times through the book took about a year and a half. Claude was very careful not to have students try to play real soft up high until they learned how to use their air properly, otherwise the student developed bad habits and tried to play soft up high by pinching off the sound.

Once you've gotten the knack of playing up high in a whisper, it's amazing how easy the upper register becomes. As I play to the top of my Clarkes, my mental visualization is of a violin player playing up there. When I sat across the Pit from the violin players on Hunchback and West Side Story, I'd watch them playing in the upper range and notice how it took no more physical effort - they just moved their left hands higher up on the fret board. Of course, we do put out more physical effort when playing up high on Brass instruments, but it helps me to visualize this idea. And I find that when one plays high notes correctly, it doesn't take as much extra physical effort as some people think it does.

Also, of note is the fact that William B. Knevitt was a longtime Claude Gordon student.

Best wishes,

John Mohan
_________________
Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
14 Year Claude Gordon Student
1st Trpt for "Cats", "Phantom of the Opera",
"West Side Story", "Evita", "Grease",
Disney's "Hunchback of Notre Dame", etc.
Burbank Benge 6x
Copy of a Mt Vernon 3C

solo soprano · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:28 am Post subject:

The loud playing "myth"
" The first idea you must get out of your head is that loud playing is bad playing. It isn't. For years teachers have instilled fear in students by saying such things as, " if you play too loud, you will damage your lip," or " Your over blowing." If you have built a reasonably strong embouchure, loud playing will not damage your lip. And " over blowing " is just a term that means so many things to so many different players, it really can't be defined. So loud playing is good playing. So is soft playing. If you play with a steady stream of air, keep the chest up, and have good support. But wind power must be built first...the soft control comes later. If you do not build wind power first, you will never play softly with a beautiful tone."

" Here's what I mean by loud playing. I don't mean that you should produce a tone that is flat , forced, and " raucous " in sound. What I mean by playing loud is that you should play as loud as you can with a good tone."

Bill Knevitt

Bill explained that the Clarke Studies were to be practiced at your normal volume first, slowly, hundreds of times and more using all models before every playing them very soft.
Remember to lift the fingers high and strike the valves hard.

WORDS OF WISDOM
" Repetition is the mother of perfection "
William Vacchiano
May 1, 1984

robertgrier · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:32 pm Post subject:

John and solo, this is great advice. I use this same approach with my students. Though I didn't get it from Gordon. It just made sense to develop the air first before one tries to play soft. Playing soft requires better air contol. I do watch my students when they first try to play in the upper register. new players do tend to try to muscle the upper notes out. they do this by using more air than they need to. I think this is what is meant when one talks about overblowing. But it needs to be explained as to what overblowing means. I tell my students it means that they are using a larger quanity of air than needed for the high notes and this makes their embouchure react by over tightening.
_________________
Bob Grier
An Old Pro
Web Cam lessons for trumpet and jazz improvisation
www.bobgriermusic.com
bgrierjr@triad.rr.com

solo soprano · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:39 am Post subject:

The best exercise for building Wind Power and CONTROL was used by H.L Clarke over 100 years ago.

1. Take a big comfortably breath with the chest up, ( do not overfill...it will just make you tense, and we must be relaxed when we play.
2. As you begin to run out of air, the note will start to shake. Keep the chest up and Try To Blow Stronger !!!
3. When the note stops sounding, keep the chest up and try to blow even stronger.
4. Keep the chest up and Push, Push, Push until all the air is gone, and longer.
5. Do not hold back in an effort to make the note last a long time. How long you hold it doesn't matter. Blowing until all the air is gone, and longer, does.
6. This exercise can be done on the last note of any exercise that ends no higher than tuning C, and work down by half steps.
NOTE: DO NOT play this exercise on high notes and take the horn off your mouth when you rest, and allow the muscle to rejuvenate.

Bill Knevitt

Other Blowing Exercises:
1. Power Blowing...dbl. forte several minutes each day
2. Power Crescendo
3. Crash Tones, as used by Jaroslav Cimera in his Basic Routine

Dr. Claude Gordon developed other wonderful exercises you can research:
Standing Exercise
Walking Exercise
Jogging Exercise

Mr. Robert Grier,
Your students are very fortunate to have you as a teacher

Mr. John Mohan, you sir, have my total respect.

garrett901 · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:18 am Post subject:

solo soprano · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:58 am Post subject:

Dr William A. Vacchiano of Portland, Maine
1912 - September 19, 2005
Principal Trumpet 31 years and 7 years Associate with the New York Philharmonic Symphony Society Orchestra

Trumpet Professor Juilliard School of Music
Professor of Trumpet Mannes College of Music
Professor of Trumpet Manhattan School of Music

Students included Wynton Marsalis, Philip Smith, Charles Schlueter, Gerard Schwarz, Manny Laureano, and Miles Davis. And one of my early teachers Mr. Don Angelica, the youngest student at the time to ever Graduate from the Manhatten School of Music.

I've have had the honor of meeting Mr. Vacchiano and have attended a few of Mr. Vacchiano's lectures.

oj · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:15 am Post subject:

solo,

We know that Vacchiano was a great teacher and a great trumpet player!

That does not mean that all he said is true.

We should questions so called wisdom sentences and see if it makes sence, just like Garrett did here.

What you did (as a comment to him?) is in a way a fallacy (called "argument from authority").

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority

Btw,
We could also question what "perfect" means.

Ole

solo soprano · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:26 am Post subject:

" When it comes to playing high notes, if the lips are together you have a prayer. if you pull them apart you have nothing but air."
W.B.K.

A great way to build endurance in the upper registers.

" I my opinion, any exercise in the Arban Book can be transposed up half steps and made into an upper register study."
Mr. William Vacchiano